Lesson 1 Introduces the unit. The main goal is, students will discover what causes an earthquake.
Lesson 2 Students plot earthquakes on a map and connect it to lesson 1. Students will show that earthquakes occur at plate boundaries
Lesson 3 Explains plate boundaries and plate tectonics
Lesson 4 Students discover how the plates move by creating models. Then creates definitions for plate movements.
Lesson 5 Class works through animations to show how the plate move and earthquakes, mountains and volcanoes are formed.
Lesson 6 The History behind plate tectonics. The theories and scientist that helped develop the current theory of plate tectonics
Lesson 7 Discover the evidence for plate tectonics, convection currents
Lesson 8 Discover more evidence for plate tectonics, mid-Atlantic ridge
Lesson 9 Web Quest to review previous material and examine new theories for plate tectonics. Show science is a process that builds from the past.
Lesson 10 Test
Assessment Plan
This unit uses a variety of assessments that monitors the students’ progress. This unit utilizes both formative and summative assessment. Formative assessment is used to monitor the students’ progress so I can reflect and adjust the lesson as needed to best aid student learning. Summative assessment is used to monitor what the students understand and retained.
In lesson one a KWL is used as formative assessment. This begins the unit and provides what the students know, and any questions or misconceptions they have. Also, the KWL lets me know what interests the students. This information is essential in the beginning so I know what will keep them motivated and I know what level to plan lessons. Each lesson the students will complete work that will be assessed so I can monitor their understanding and their misconceptions. Lesson four gives the students a chance to self assess their progress before continuing in the unit. In lesson four, students create clay models, defines the model, then self check their definitions to a set of class definitions before completing the project. Student self monitoring is an important aspect of formative assessment, it motivates students. Self checking is a key element in this unit, students have a number of opportunities to work in groups and use their peers as a resource, which is another form of self-checking. Formative feedback will be provided on all student work, so students can check were they made mistakes. Formative assessment is a great way for the students and teacher to understand the progress that is made as the unit advances.
Summative assessment is the necessary balance to formative assessment. Summative assessments are used periodically to monitor what the students know. This form of assessment is important to demonstrate what the students are retaining. Lesson five and ten are summative assessments. They require the students to demonstrate what they have learned and retained through the unit.
This unit presents the students with many assessment opportunities so their grade is based on a collection of work that best represents each student. The unit contains six homework grades, two lab grades, a quiz and a test grade. In addition, there are several in class assignments that students will receive credit for completing. Overall this unit is a balance between formative and summative assessment which is essential to a strong well rounded unit.
Rationale
This unit was designed to best suit a ninth grade middle level students at Coventry High School. Coventry High School’s schedule is a combination of a rotating and block schedule. The outcome of this schedule is that most periods meet three times a week, for one short block (50mins) and 2 long blocks (85-95mins). This unit was designed to cover three weeks of instruction were the classes meet three times a week. However, all the lessons are very adaptable to adjust to the changing schedule.
The unit is for a ninth grade physical science class that is aligned to the Rhode Island GSEs. The unit provides opportunities for the teacher to model and for students to practice key skills. Ninth grade is the first year away form middle school, and because it is a transition year for many students, they still require some guidance. This unit models good reading habits such as pre-reading and underlining important information. It also models the break down of the scientific method, observations, then making a hypothesis and creating an experiment or find evidence to support the hypothesis. These skills are modeled but the lessons require the students to complete the steps it is up to them to complete the work. Making observations and forming a hypothesis are key elements to thinking scientifically and critically. Students are asked to make many observations and hypotheses so that these becomes skills that are second nature to them. The unit is designed to provide the students with the necessary skills to be logical thinkers. The material is broken down into small steps and the students are required to build on their prior knowledge to work through the new material. The unit also takes into consideration the fact that students learn through different paths of instruction. So, it involves instruction and group instruction, and addresses the needs of visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners. This unit provides instruction that would best suit the needs of a diverse group of ninth grade learners.
When considering a unit plan another key component is how the instruction is relevant to the learner. Students will be engaged, motivated and interested when the instruction covers material that is relevant to them in their present day lives. In this unit the class will discuss the effects of recent earthquakes, and students will read about how they affect people. The class will also share if they have had friends or family that was affected by an earthquake. The students will also analyze how the process of plate tectonics affects their lives. Finally, students will research how science is still developing the theory of plate tectonics and new observations are being made daily to support or disprove the theory. This unit is designed to capture the students’ interest, and maintain it to lead them through the processes behind, earthquakes, volcanoes, mountains, plate tectonics, and the history of plate tectonics. Unit Plan Evaluation
Formation of Earth's Surface- Author: Malinda Borden Grade Level: 9 level 2 Course:Physical Science
Unit Purpose
Standards and learning perfomances
Outline, Concept Map, or other Graphical Representation of the Concepts Addressed in the Unit
Lesson Sequence
Lesson 1 Introduces the unit. The main goal is, students will discover what causes an earthquake.Lesson 2 Students plot earthquakes on a map and connect it to lesson 1. Students will show that earthquakes occur at plate boundaries
Lesson 3 Explains plate boundaries and plate tectonics
Lesson 4 Students discover how the plates move by creating models. Then creates definitions for plate movements.
Lesson 5 Class works through animations to show how the plate move and earthquakes, mountains and volcanoes are formed.
Lesson 6 The History behind plate tectonics. The theories and scientist that helped develop the current theory of plate tectonics
Lesson 7 Discover the evidence for plate tectonics, convection currents
Lesson 8 Discover more evidence for plate tectonics, mid-Atlantic ridge
Lesson 9 Web Quest to review previous material and examine new theories for plate tectonics. Show science is a process that builds from the past.
Lesson 10 Test
Assessment Plan
This unit uses a variety of assessments that monitors the students’ progress. This unit utilizes both formative and summative assessment. Formative assessment is used to monitor the students’ progress so I can reflect and adjust the lesson as needed to best aid student learning. Summative assessment is used to monitor what the students understand and retained.In lesson one a KWL is used as formative assessment. This begins the unit and provides what the students know, and any questions or misconceptions they have. Also, the KWL lets me know what interests the students. This information is essential in the beginning so I know what will keep them motivated and I know what level to plan lessons. Each lesson the students will complete work that will be assessed so I can monitor their understanding and their misconceptions. Lesson four gives the students a chance to self assess their progress before continuing in the unit. In lesson four, students create clay models, defines the model, then self check their definitions to a set of class definitions before completing the project. Student self monitoring is an important aspect of formative assessment, it motivates students. Self checking is a key element in this unit, students have a number of opportunities to work in groups and use their peers as a resource, which is another form of self-checking. Formative feedback will be provided on all student work, so students can check were they made mistakes. Formative assessment is a great way for the students and teacher to understand the progress that is made as the unit advances.
Summative assessment is the necessary balance to formative assessment. Summative assessments are used periodically to monitor what the students know. This form of assessment is important to demonstrate what the students are retaining. Lesson five and ten are summative assessments. They require the students to demonstrate what they have learned and retained through the unit.
This unit presents the students with many assessment opportunities so their grade is based on a collection of work that best represents each student. The unit contains six homework grades, two lab grades, a quiz and a test grade. In addition, there are several in class assignments that students will receive credit for completing. Overall this unit is a balance between formative and summative assessment which is essential to a strong well rounded unit.
Rationale
This unit was designed to best suit a ninth grade middle level students at Coventry High School. Coventry High School’s schedule is a combination of a rotating and block schedule. The outcome of this schedule is that most periods meet three times a week, for one short block (50mins) and 2 long blocks (85-95mins). This unit was designed to cover three weeks of instruction were the classes meet three times a week. However, all the lessons are very adaptable to adjust to the changing schedule.The unit is for a ninth grade physical science class that is aligned to the Rhode Island GSEs. The unit provides opportunities for the teacher to model and for students to practice key skills. Ninth grade is the first year away form middle school, and because it is a transition year for many students, they still require some guidance. This unit models good reading habits such as pre-reading and underlining important information. It also models the break down of the scientific method, observations, then making a hypothesis and creating an experiment or find evidence to support the hypothesis. These skills are modeled but the lessons require the students to complete the steps it is up to them to complete the work. Making observations and forming a hypothesis are key elements to thinking scientifically and critically. Students are asked to make many observations and hypotheses so that these becomes skills that are second nature to them. The unit is designed to provide the students with the necessary skills to be logical thinkers. The material is broken down into small steps and the students are required to build on their prior knowledge to work through the new material. The unit also takes into consideration the fact that students learn through different paths of instruction. So, it involves instruction and group instruction, and addresses the needs of visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners. This unit provides instruction that would best suit the needs of a diverse group of ninth grade learners.
When considering a unit plan another key component is how the instruction is relevant to the learner. Students will be engaged, motivated and interested when the instruction covers material that is relevant to them in their present day lives. In this unit the class will discuss the effects of recent earthquakes, and students will read about how they affect people. The class will also share if they have had friends or family that was affected by an earthquake. The students will also analyze how the process of plate tectonics affects their lives. Finally, students will research how science is still developing the theory of plate tectonics and new observations are being made daily to support or disprove the theory. This unit is designed to capture the students’ interest, and maintain it to lead them through the processes behind, earthquakes, volcanoes, mountains, plate tectonics, and the history of plate tectonics.
Unit Plan Evaluation